


A Rose and a River

by Bindah



Category: Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: 11's thought process, F/M, Multi, especially when you change bodies every now and then!, i ship both of them, i will not tolerate any ship wars on this story, it's possible to love more than one person, so no fighting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-13
Updated: 2015-12-13
Packaged: 2018-05-06 10:13:26
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 763
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5412953
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bindah/pseuds/Bindah
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Eleventh Doctor thinks back to his previous love, and the woman he loves now.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Rose and a River

The control room was still and quiet. The central column rose and fell steadily and silently as they flew through the time vortex. The Doctor sat on the steps in front of the TARDIS door. River was asleep somewhere in the depths of the TARDIS, and her presence had reminded him of someone else he’d loved.

His tenth incarnation, the one with the sticky-up hair and sneakers, had been wildly in love with a human. Rose Tyler had stolen his hearts with her huge smile, her light blonde hair, and her no nonsense attitude. It was obvious, now that he looked back anyway, that she’d felt the same way; she never had been one for subtlety. He thought back to his adventures with her. Her first encounter with the Dalek underneath Utah, meeting Captain Jack and saving WW2 London from the Chula zombies, and the constant warnings of ‘Bad Wolf’ that she’d left herself all over the universe, scattered to every single moment in history.

She had caused his regeneration, but he forgave her for that immediately. Rose had no idea what she was doing, and she’d just wanted to save him. She had. And she had made him a better man in the process. Along with letting go of his 9th body, and all the leather and Northern accent, he also let go of all the anger and grief that the time war had left in him. Rose Tyler really was a very special woman.

It had broken the Doctor’s hearts to watch Pete appear at the Battle of Canary Wharf. He had saved her from the void, but he had also cut the two of them off from each other. Two companions separated forever by the very universe they’d saved so many times. He stood at that wall for hours, calling out for Rose, his Rose. He couldn’t leave her like that, and so he had called out to her one last time. Drawing her to Darlig Olv-Stranden. There he said his final goodbye, burning up a sun just for that purpose.

Yes, he loved her, He loved Rose Tyler, and he always would. Now though, in his latest regeneration, he had finally moved on. Tweed and fezzes and floppy hair. That was a whole new person.

A small noise came from the stairs above the console. River, rubbing her eyes to clear the sleep, walked gracefully downstairs.

“Morning, sweetie.” She smiled sleepily at the Doctor.

Yes, he had moved on. Here was River, part time lord, more like him than he could ever have thought a person could be. She had a mass of curls, golden like the sun, which bounced on her shoulders when she ran. She could kill with ease, which as he had said before, he “shouldn’t like that, kinda do, a bit”. After all, now she killed for defence and to protect those she loved. River was wildly courageous, and cheeky, and ridiculously flirtatious.

The Doctor couldn’t help thinking that she’d get along brilliantly with Captain Jack.

Just as Rose had been willing to sacrifice herself to save the Doctor, River had been too. Had sacrificed herself, would sacrifice herself for him, and complete strangers. His heart broke that he’d seen it happen. The Doctor did love her for it though. She’d saved so many people that day in the library. Always so self-less.

River was one of the strongest women he had ever met, stubborn, brave, mysterious, and yes, maybe he found her a little bit sexy too.

Rose was becoming more and more like River in his mind. He loved Rose with all his hearts, but he had moved on from her. She was back in Pete’s world now, with Donna’s half human version of him. She finally had what she had always wanted; she could grow old with him. All he could do was hope she was happy. Rose Tyler and the Doctor.

River stood there at the top of the stairs, smiling broadly at him. The console light shone behind her, lighting up her curls like an angel’s halo. She held out her hand to him, pulling the Doctor to his feet.

“Let’s get breakfast.” River whispered softly, turning towards where the kitchen usually was.

He stopped and watched her walk away, taking in every curve, every curl bouncing on her confident shoulders, and every gentle, graceful step.

Rose Tyler was a wonderful woman, and the Doctor, in his hearts, would always love her very much.

The Doctor had to admit it now though, he was falling in love with River Song.

**Author's Note:**

> This was originally written way back in 2011, when I was just 16. It's been edited a lot more recently than that. When it was first uploaded (on ffn) it went down well and got good reviews, so hopefully it's a hell of a lot better now, please let me know if you like it!
> 
> Just to be clear: I ship both 10/Rose and 11/River, with 11/River being my ultimate otp. Please don't start any ship wars over this. It's possible to love more than one person in your life, especially when you regenerate on a semi regular basis into an entire new person!


End file.
